Stealthy
by unemployed-ninja
Summary: "Just think of the exam like a two week, adrenaline fueled, near-death-experience filled camping trip."  "...is that supposed to make me feel better?" My name is Ino. Two weeks ago, Tsunade decided I would become a stealth ANBU. Neat, huh? Not quite.
1. Chapter 1

~*~*~ So this is a Sai/Ino fic for anyone who wasn't aware of that. Enjoy :)

Disclaimer: I OWN NOTHING. NOTHING!~*~*~

Edited in 2013

_thoughts_

Ino's POV:

"Understand?" Tsunade asked while raising a perfectly arched brow.

Ino shifted uncomfortably in her chair for the fifteenth time since she'd been called into Tsunade's office twenty-five minutes ago. "Er... sorry, what?" she sputtered. Tsunade rubbed at her temples and closed her eyes for a few seconds.

"Look Ino, I'm sorry to drop this on you so suddenly, but I don't have a choice. Naruto will be Hokage soon, and he's depseprately going to need someone competent in ANBU intelligence. After your father passed, we've had a desperate need for intelligence and stealth specialist shinobi. Stealth and intelligence is a vital part of village security, so I need you to drop your academy job and join the ANBU ranks. As in, I already have the exam set up for you, I just technically have to have your consent that if you die during the exam no one can sue us."

"Can I think about this and talk to my boyfriend Sai about the options?" Ino pleaded. Tsunade sighed and shook her head.

"I wish I could give you some time to think about it, but we're out of options. I have to have your answer right now. This is a once-of-a lifetime experience, and I truly think you would benefit from saying yes."

Panicking, Ino cursed having to make such an important decision on the fly. She had always had a fear of feeling regret for turning down opportunities, so she gathered her scrabbled mind and made her decision

After a lengthy silence, Tsunade got her answer.

"...I'm in!" Tsunade cracked a smile.

Ino just hoped to hell she didn't regret it.

"Excellent! Treat this exam like you would a mission. It is not easy, and if you don't take it seriously, you may die. Understand?" Tsunade said in her most authoritative voice. Ino nodded fervently.

"This exam will take place over the next two weeks. The directions are simple. I will give you a scroll. You are to take this scroll and hide out in the surrounding forest for two weeks. Several of Konoha's best ANBU will be looking for you, and if they detect you they will attack and try to capture you and the scroll. If you can manage to return to the Hokage tower exactly two weeks from now with the scroll and without being captured, then you pass the exam. Mind you, failing the exam doesn't mean you won't become and ANBU. Understand?" Ino blanched.

"Keep in mind, if you do not treat this like a real mission, there is a very good chance that you could be brutally injured. That, or accidently killed by an ANBU who expected more of a fight."

"Will I have time to prepare for this exam?" Ino asked suspiciously. Tsunade smiled deviously and clasped her hands together in front of her face.

"Nope. In fact," The Hokage glanced at her watch, and tossed the scroll to Ino.

"It starts now. You have fifteen minutes to get the hell out of here as fast as you can. In fifteen minutes, you're free game to the ANBU. Ino glanced between the village leader and the scroll, looking at it like it was going to explode. For all she knew, it just might.

"…."

"Just think of the exam like a two week adrenaline fueled, near-death-experience filled camping trip." Tsunade offered.

"...is that supposed to make me feel better?"

Tsunade just smiled again. "I recommend you run now."

And that's just what I did. Ran so fast I almost took out the old lady at the juice stand.

My name is Ino. Two weeks ago, Tsunade decided that I would become an ANBU to take over my fathers old position in Intelligence. Neat, huh? Yeah, for a moment there, I actually thought so too.


	2. Chapter 2

~*~*~ Chapter 2: Ino, You Have Some 'Splanin To Do

Disclaimer: I OWN NOTHING. NOTHING!~*~*~

I apologize for the extreme lateness. I know, I'm the worst. Lol.

Edited in 2013

_thoughts_

Sai's POV:

Wrestling. Boring. Reality TV. Boring. Oprah...perhaps. I shifted on the couch in the apartment Ino and I shared while sipping a beer. I rubbed a hand across my jaw and regretted not shaving, but I had been too exhausted from the constant stream of ANBU missions the ANBU squads had been going on to help secure Konoha for Naruto's inauguration. I would complain if I hadn't been so happy for his dream coming true. Not to mention it helps ends meet, and Ino's teaching job doesn't bring in much. I'm still glad that she's not in the line of fire, though.

As I was contemplating Oprah's words of wisdom, the front door literally burst open, and Ino flew in in a blond flurry. I surged off the couch and called after her.

"Uhh...Ino?" She didn't answer, and I doubt she even heard me or noticed my presence. I followed her into our bedroom to see her tearing up our closet. What the hell?

"Is something wrong? What the hell is going on, Ino?" I asked. She whirled around, looking very much like a deer in headlights.

"Sorrysaican'ttalkrigtnow." She sputtered out then returned to what I assumed was packing, but could have been anything from a strange female ritual to communicating with the dead. Needless to say, I didn't catch anything she said.

"Ok, that's...cool? Are you packing for something or...?" I asked slowly. She zipped up the backpack and turned to me.

"Lady Tsunade wants to assign you your mission, and she'll explain everything. I just want you to know that it's not my fault!" With that said she clapped her hands over my ears, kissed me square on the lips, and darted out the door before I could get the mushy glazed look out of my eyes. What just happened?

I quickly got myself looking and smelling acceptable for my visit with the Hokage and hurried over there. Apparently Ino has something to do with my mission, and the fact that a chunnin like Ino is involved in an ANBU mission is definitely unusual. A bad feeling settled in the pit of my stomach. Something is fishy about this, and I'm going to find out what faster than Ino can badly pack.

Ok that's chapter 2. I tried to keep Sai's general quirkiness, for he is a rather quirky person. Thanks for reading and for the reviews :)


	3. Chapter 3

~*~*~ **Chapter 3: Oh, Shit.**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto, Masashi Kishimoto, a vehicle, a respectable line of credit, or food that is not ramen. ;) ~*~*~**

_flashback_

**Ino's POV**

I poured more chakra into my legs, pushing myself to go faster. I would never get through the two weeks without at least a few supplies, so I was desperate to get back to our apartment to pack.

I slammed through the door, my blonde hair flying everywhere as I sprinted into our bedroom closet. I passed Sai, who was relaxing on the couch, watching….Oprah? …Alrighty then, no time to take a second to think about that.

I started tearing apart our closet, going through what gear I had readily available. I grabbed my larger rucksack, and started filling it with the necessities. A few long sleeved shirts and pants for nighttime, a stick of flint, a lighter, a few packs of emergency food, a lightweight emergency blanket, and several scrolls for my more complicated jutsu. In the side pockets I stuffed several pairs of socks, my water canteen, a compass, a map, some hair ties, and I filled my shuriken holders with as many shuriken as I could fit.

I put my rucksack over my shoulder and almost slammed face-first into Sai. I backed up sputtering, "Sorrysaican'ttalkrightnow," and was desperate to not have to explain the situation to him. I managed to croak out a weak excuse about Tsunade summoning him, and gave him a good hard kiss because damn, I was going to miss that boy.

Sai was adorably befuddled, and I took this as my chance to escape before he stopped me. I was grateful to make an escape, because I knew Sai desperately wanted to keep me out of the ANBU ranks. It was no secret how dangerous the job was, and I knew that he worried endlessly about me getting hurt. He has been extremely protective of his loved ones ever since he started feeling emotion again, and the death of his brother really set that off.

I sprinted back out our front door, and made a bee-line to the outskirts of the village, opting to take a lesser known path out of the village walls. I pumped chakra into my legs the entire time, pushing my body to its limits to get out as fast as possible. If I didn't get as far ahead as possible in these precious seconds, I would be brutally hunted by some of the best shinobi in the world.

After some time, probably two hours or so, I finally burst through a wall of trees into a pockmarked valley, with several caves and boroughs that could easily cover me for a few hours of rest.

I pulled out my map to try to get a general idea of where I was.

"_I traveled north-east for most of the trip, and judging by my surroundings and the vegetation around, I should be close to a few rivers. I'll have to check those out in a few hours." _Ino mused thoughtfully, chewing on a granola bar that she packed. Her first priority had to be replenishing her chakra reserves. Because she would not be able to defend herself well enough against an ANBU in her current state.

Ino was the first to admit that her offensive taijutsu and ninjutsu were not her strong points, and that her strength truly did lie in stealth and ginjutsu. So be it, Ino would grit her teeth, crawling on hand and knees to the tower if that was what it took to prove herself worthy of her father's legacy.

"_Once my chakra reserves are back up, I'll show them what it truly means to be a stealth shinobi." _Ino smirked to herself, surprisingly excited for the journey to come.

**Thank you for reading and for your lovely reviews. **

**-unemployed-ninja**


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